THIRUVANATHAPURAM: The traders of SS Kovil Road in city are up in arms against the slow pace of work of drainage in their area. With the work of drainage lagging, there is no respite for the residents from flooding that takes place after every rain.
Since June when the monsoon hit the Kerala coast, the state has been experience heavy to very heavy rainfall. Thiruvananthapruam city is also receiving intermittent rainfall.
The traders say that their lives and businesses have been badly affected because of the water logging problem. "We demand that the government initiate a probe into the entire drainage work being carried out in the area. The authorities need to given an answer as to why the work is not being completed despite many engineers and experts visiting the site and providing their inputs," said an office-bearer of the Kerala Vyapara Vyavsayi Ekopana Samithi which held a dharna on Thursday.
"It's a very important and significant area of Thampanoor from business point of view. The authorities should give priority in keeping it clean, beautiful and waterlogging- free. However, the entire area is in a deplorable condition since the work on the drainage began," said KVVES distr-ict president Peringamala Ramachandran .
"Let alone business, life comes to a standstill after heavy downpour. For the last five months the situation has been pretty bad," said Samanth J.R, a bookshop keeper.
Apart from water logging, the residents and shopkeepers complain about foul smell emanating from the drainage water.
With the situation getting worse now, they have threatened to launch an indefinite agitation demanding early completion of the drainage work.
